The Future of Artificial Intelligence (and everything else) 2005-2100

What Does the Future hold 2006 – 2100

Original Blog from 2 September 2006

Note: from 10 Jan 2014

Working in a job where you need to predict trends in technology for the next 5-10 years as I did for a few companies also means hiring futurists that look further into the future as well. Here is a summary of some predictions I gathered in 2006 looking forward up to to 2100 from my industry (telecoms, data centers, internet) and much more.

I forgot I wrote it.
Amazing how many have come to pass or are ongoing today.

I had a kind comment that reminded me of the story thanks

Ever wonder what the future holds, well here is a view of some of the top futurologists (yes they get paid for this). In the past they predicted texting and other things. See what and when their next predictions take us.

AI, AL, Biotech, Business, Life, Leisure, Home, Office, Telecoms, Technology, etc.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & ARTIFICIAL LIFE

Synthetic voices pop band gets in top 20 2006-2010
Emotionally responsive toys and robots 2006-2010
Odor and flavor sensors comparable to dog 2006-2010
Virus aimed at toys released 2006-2010
Computer agent personal shoppers 2006-2010
Toys with network based intelligence 2006-2010
AI chat bots indistinguishable from people by 95 % of population 2006-2010
First artificial electronic life 2006-2010
First species brought back from extinction 2006-2010
Domestic appliances with personality 2006-2010
AI pop group gets top 10 hit 2006-2010
AI Entity passes GCSE 2008-2012
AI used as classroom assistants 2008-2012
Action man toys engage in war games over networks 2008-2012
Toys with built in tracking technology 2008-2012
People have some virtual friends but don’t know which ones 2008-2012
Mood-sensitive home décor 2008-2012
Location devices implanted into pets 2008-2012
First divorce due to virtual affair with computer game character 2008-2012
Addiction to on-line games seen as a national problem 2008-2012
DNA used to assemble electronic circuits 2008-2012
First bacterium assembled from scratch 2008-2012
Many drugs delivered via fruit 2008-2012
AI football manager 2008-2012
AI football teams as TV entertainment 2008-2012
AI Entity passes A Level 2011-2015
AI companies illegally cloned 2011-2015
Highest earning celebrity is synthetic 2011-2015
Dolls with personality chip and full sensory input 2011-2015
25 % of TV celebrities synthetic 2011-2015
Expert systems surpass average human learning and logic abilities 2011-2015
Computer agents start being thought of as colleagues instead of tools 2011-2015
Autonomous AI sales staff become AI stalkers 2011-2015
Smart jelly babies 2011-2015
Smart mammary memory 2011-2015
First multi-celled organism assembled from scratch 2011-2015
Drugs delivered in carbon buckyballs (burst open at destination under laser light) 2011-2015
AI technology imitating thinking processes of the brain 2013-2017
AI teachers get better results than most human teachers 2013-2017
AI starts being noticed as a source of redundancy 2013-2017
AI Entity gains Degree 2013-2017
Computers that write most of their own software 2013-2017
AI students 2013-2017
Most software written by machine 2013-2017
AI Entity gains Masters Degree 2016-2020
Human knowledge exceeded by machine knowledge 2016-2020
Electronic pets outnumber organic pets 2016-2020
Electronic life form given basic rights 2016-2020
Artificial insects and small animals with artificial brains 2016-2020
AI Member of parliament 2016-2020
Smart bacteria, contains electronics and linked to net 2016-2020
AI brings chimpanzee or dolphin up to human level intelligence 2020s
AI Entity gains PhD 2020s
AI Entity awarded Nobel Prize 2020s
Remote control devices built into pets 2020s
Virus wipes out half of the electronic pet population 2020s
AI entities given vote 2020s
Smart yoghurt, colony of smart bacteria linked together, IQ = human 2020s
Brain ‘add-ons’ 2030s
AI Entity sets up higher level prize 2030s
Learning superseded by transparent interface to smart computer 2030s
Robots physically and mentally superior to humans 2030s
Emulation of bio life form inside the computer using protein emulation 2030s
Living genetically engineered teddy bear 2040s
Primate given brain implant to increase intelligence to human level 2040s
Humanoid robots beat England football team 2050s

BIOTECHNOLOGY, HEALTH & MEDICAL

Electronic prescriptions reduce fraud and improve speed 2006-2010
Quiz shows screen for implant technologies 2006-2010
24/7 blood chemistry monitoring 2006-2010
Laser activated drug capsules 2006-2010
Ultrasound or radio activated capsules 2006-2010
Blood analysis chips 2006-2010
Supermarkets used as major source of medical alerts 2006-2010
Remote control of insects by neural implants 2006-2010
Emotion detection used in businesses to select front line staff 2006-2010
e-Baybies electronic conception 2008-2012
Instant electronic identification of pathogens 2008-2012
Expert systems used extensively in GP surgeries 2008-2012
Hospitals use virtual queuing systems 2008-2012
Neural networks used for patient appointment management 2008-2012
Multimedia patient records 2008-2012
Lifestyle monitoring and insurance linked to medical records 2008-2012
Online surgeries dominate first line medical care 2008-2012
Active skin 2008-2012
Video tattoos 2008-2012
Cyber-drugs (electronically activated drugs) 2008-2012
Automated pain relief for soldiers 2008-2012
Bacteria in toothpaste to attack plaque 2008-2012
e-baybies, binary conception 2008-2012
Antibacterial coatings on domestic appliances, phones etc, especially in hospitals 2008-2012
Smells embedded in ordinary household objects 2008-2012
Flexible displays used for body monitoring and alerts 2008-2012
Emotional jewellery 2008-2012
Emotion alerts 2008-2012
Rich world badly infected by third world disease 2008-2012
Hand-held scanner to detect tumours using tissue resonance interferometer 2008-2012
Broadcasters become major source of funding for medical research 2008-2012
Smart pill bottles remotely monitor medication taking and use alarms 2008-2012
Drug shortages caused by internet diagnostics 2008-2012
MRSA detection chips on sale in high street 2008-2012
Diabetes cure via stem cell research 2008-2012
Hotels offer some hospital services 2008-2012
Devices roaming within blood vessels under own power 2011-2015
Operations videoed and stored as part of medical record 2011-2015
Use of human’s own tissues to grow replacement organs 2011-2015
Direct electronic pleasure production 2011-2015
Orgasm by email 2011-2015
Artificial senses, sensors directly stimulating nerves 2011-2015
Smart membranes for remote control of drug injection 2011-2015
Context sensitive cyber-drugs 2011-2015
Electronic stimulation of brain sensations as recreational substitute for drugs 2011-2015
Some implants seen as status symbols 2011-2015
Custom (GM) foods for particular medical conditions will exist. 2011-2015
Gene-gel stimulation of re-growth of natural teeth on demand 2011-2015
Retina regeneration using foetal retinal cell injection 2011-2015
Tooth regeneration 2011-2015
Domestic bacterial detection devices 2011-2015
Plastic bones 2011-2015
Emotion logging and recording 2011-2015
Emotionally specific drugs 2011-2015
Micro-fluidic chips used for gene sequencing in every GP surgery 2011-2015
Self certification for prescriptions using electronic diagnostics 2011-2015
Visitor sanitising in hospitals 2011-2015
Insects that can be controlled by artificial positioning systems 2011-2015
Outpatients at home – remote tele-medical consultations 2011-2015
Genetic links of all 90% of diseases identified 2013-2017
Individual’s genome part of their medical record 2013-2017
Synthetic organs by printing layers of cells 2013-2017
Synthetic viruses 2013-2017
Portable bactericidal devices 2013-2017
Bactericidal saws incorporated onto materials in hospitals 2013-2017
Sensory augmentation using sensory implants, nanoparticles etc 2013-2017
Use of stem cells in brain after strokes or accidents 2013-2017
Gene therapy generates new hair cells in humans 2013-2017
Sensory implants allows direct sensing of cyberspace entities 2013-2017
Robotic cleaners in hospitals 2013-2017
Biometrics and medical tests linked to benefits and disability allowance 2013-2017
Nanotech based organism colonies 2016-2020
Synthetic bacteria 2016-2020
Artificial sensors used in cosmetic upgrade surgery 2016-2020
Smart makeup 2016-2020
Listing of individual’s DNA for $1 (10M key base pairs) 2016-2020
Brief human suspended animation 2020s
Electronic memory enhancement 2020s
Many new forms of plants and animals from genetic engineering 2020s
Nanobots in toothpaste attack plaque 2020s
Fully functioning artificial eyes 2020s
Electronic brain implants 2020s
Genetic, chemical and physiological bases of human behaviour understood 2020s
Intelligence or memory enhancement by external means 2020s
First Bionic Olympics 2020s
e-baybies, genetic conception 2020s
DNA compression used to create optimal organisms 2020s
Virus crosses over from machine to human 2020s
Synthetic immune system 2020s
Artificial peripheral nerves 2030s
e-baybies, digital emulation conception 2030s
Sims game using real genetics 2030s
Artificial brain 2040s
Brain in jar 2040s

BUSINESS & EDUCATION

Professional paid-for email 2006-2010
Lifestyle brands dominate 2006-2010
Network based learning causes polarisation in classes – streaming is essential 2006-2010
Global classes used for multicultural immersion 2006-2010
Instant voice mail 2006-2010
Nomadic information companies paying no corporation tax 2006-2010
Business offer individual deals to customers 2006-2010
British retirement age rose to 70 2006-2010
25% of UK workforce teleworking at least 2 days a week 2006-2010
Human free companies 2008-2012
All government services delivered electronically 2008-2012
Universal monitoring of business transactions 2008-2012
"Made in China" seen as a sign of status 2008-2012
Most advertising is personalised to viewer 2008-2012
e-money, e-vouchers, celebrity cash 2008-2012
Smart stickers for the home 2008-2012
Biometrics compulsory for claimants 2008-2012
Electronic communications compulsory for claimants 2008-2012
Email used to communicate with most social service claimants 2008-2012
Inter-business financial transactions all electronic 2008-2012
Virtual companies and virtual co-operatives dominate 2008-2012
Superstar teachers use telepresence to lecture to dispersed classes 2008-2012
Personalised degrees quantised to individual lectures 2008-2012
Purely electronic companies exist – minimal human involvement 2008-2012
Augmented reality key part of high street 2008-2012
Mass internet blockade of business, brand , country 2008-2012
Return to the high street as personal service matters again 2011-2015
Printers good enough to make reasonable quality forged banknotes 2011-2015
Paper money replaced by smart media 2011-2015
Spread of nomadic information companies leads to global taxation 2011-2015
New tax forms, e.g. compulsory servants 2011-2015
Academic learning is argued to be unnecessary in the age of smart machines 2013-2017
Integrated taxation in all transactions 2013-2017
Return to sender viruses, corporate counterattacks 2013-2017
Retirement age raised to 75 2013-2017
Major pensions crisis 2016-2020
More people using telework centres than home working 2016-2020
Telework centres double as community resources 2016-2020
Police force privatised in many nations 2016-2020
Less than 10% of UK workforce in manufacturing 2016-2020
Autonomous production plants make everything, Asia unemployment increases 2016-2020
Pension crisis, collapse of stock market due to share sales to pay pensions 2016-2020
Retirement age linked to medical history 2016-2020
Language teaching decline due to machine translation services 2020s
Learning superseded by transparent interface to smart computers 2030s
95% of people in advanced nation computer literate 2030s

DEMOGRAPHICS

Less than 20% of UK workforce in manufacturing 2006-2010
World population reaches 7 billion 2008-2012
India population hits 1.2 billion 2008-2012
Population growth slows to 1% (1.3% today) 2008-2012
Asia-Pacific overtakes US in internet users 2008-2012
Worldwide deaths due to HIV/AIDS peak at 1.7 million 2008-2012
60% of the world’s population living in cities 2011-2015
China GDP overtakes EU GDP 2013-2017
400M people live in mega cities of over 10M inhabitants 2013-2017
50% of world population have internet access and processing capability 2013-2017
Androids form 10% of population 2016-2020
70 million over 65s in USA (20%) with 9 million over 85s 2020s
3Bn people water stressed (<1700 cu m per capita per year) 2020s
First e-Baybies genetically assembled 2020s
Chinese graduates exceed American and European graduates 2020s
3.5 Bn people water stressed (400M in 2001) 2030s
e-Babies form virtual population of 1 Bn 2030s
First e-Baybies electronically emulated 2030s
World population peaks at 10 billion 2040s

ENERGY

Button sized gas turbine generators for portable device power 2006-2010
Return to nuclear power in UK (decision made) 2006-2010
Power save mode on appliances linked to grid demands 2008-2012
Power rationing enforced due to grid shortage 2008-2012
Home fuel cell based 7kW generator 2008-2012
Solar chimney power station (1.5km tall) 2008-2012
Most portables powered by fuel cells 2008-2012
Multi layer solar cells with efficiency over 50% 2008-2012
Solar reflector satellites bringing sunlight to major Northern cities 2008-2012
Nuclear power plants supply 16% of energy in Russia and Eastern Europe 2008-2012
Worldwide energy consumption 50% greater than 1993 2008-2012
Renewable power in UK at 5 % 2008-2012
Hydrogen production by bacteria 2008-2012
Commercial magma power stations 2011-2015
Hydrogen fuel available on UK forecourts 2011-2015
Active transmission/distribution grid – energy web 2011-2015
Widespread use of carbon fixing/burying 2011-2015
Extremely insulated buildings 2011-2015
Catalytic water decomposition by sunlight 2013-2017
Seabed gas hydrate crystals used as fuel source 2013-2017
Worldwide oil consumption is 100M barrels of oil per day 2013-2017
10% of UK energy produced by renewables 2013-2017
Nuclear power in UK up to 25 % 2016-2020
Oil consumption peaks 2016-2020
Systems based on biochemical storage of solar energy 2020s
Widespread use of micro CHP stations (in 50% of premises) 2020s
Space solar power stations 2030s
Wave energy providing up to 50% of UK requirements 2040s
Use of nuclear fusion as power source 2040s

ENVIRONMENT & COUNTRYSIDE

Complete list of 1.5 million known species available on web 2006-2010
Virtual farming co-operatives 2006-2010
GM crops infect neighbouring fields 2006-2010
Between 15 and 95cm rise in sea level 2006-2010
Extensive remote sensing use in environmental management 2008-2012
Effective prediction of most natural disasters 2008-2012
Out-sourced vegetable plots 2008-2012
Poor countries charge for bio-prospecting 2008-2012
Genetic solutions in one area become environmental problems for other areas 2008-2012
Green groups endorse products 2008-2012
Killer bug resistant to all known antibiotics 2008-2012
Nuclear power generally accepted by green groups 2008-2012
Growth of scientific environmentalism 2008-2012
Landfills in London and surrounding region full 2011-2015
Insect-like robots used for crop pollination 2011-2015
Large areas of countryside used for biomass production 2011-2015
New environmental groups focused on visual environment protection 2011-2015
Ecotourism one of biggest environmental problems 2011-2015
Green groups use defensive patenting of damaging technologies 2011-2015
Waste sludge used to create energy using bacteria in fuel cells 2011-2015
Increased use of GM crops on saline contaminated soils 2013-2017
30% of world’s arable land will be salty 2020s
Widespread use of sensors in the countryside 2020s
70% of landfills in USA full 2020s
Carbon dioxide fixation technologies for environment protection 2030s
Artificial precipitation induction & control 2030s
Global environmental management corporations 2040s
50% of world’s arable land will be salty 2050s
Ozone hole disappears 2050s

HOME AND OFFICE INFRASTRIUCTURE

Chips on food packaging tell when food is at its best 2006-2010
Video tiles 2006-2010
Emotional objects, switches etc around home 2006-2010
Most homes have wireless networks 2006-2010
Spoken caller number identity, with personal numbering 2006-2010
SMS appliances 2006-2010
IM appliances 2006-2010
Electronic notebook with contrast as good as paper 2008-2012
Smart paint available (contains chips) 2008-2012
Digital bathroom mirror 2008-2012
Magazine tablets 2008-2012
Personalised response from household gadgets 2008-2012
Mood sensitive light bulbs 2008-2012
Consumer electronics devices plug straight into home net 2008-2012
Smart responsive environments 2008-2012
Domestic positioning systems 2008-2012
Most homes use web cams for communication 2008-2012
Virtual windows 2008-2012
Dual architecture 2008-2012
Anti-noise technology built into homes 2011-2015
Active wallpaper responds to inhabitants’ moods etc 2011-2015
Chips in packaging control cooking 2011-2015
Neighbourhood video surveillance networks 2011-2015
Washing machine aware of contents and selects cycle 2011-2015
Augmented reality offices used in telework centres 2011-2015
Palm-top printing puts buttons on skin 2011-2015
Glasses based displays dominate in the office 2011-2015
Electronic response based on conversational inference 2011-2015
Windows with coatings to re-direct sunlight 2011-2015
Nanotechnology toys 2013-2017
Traditional pubs using technology to enhance illusion of tradition 2013-2017
Kaleidoscopic flowers using electronic inks 2016-2020
Patio display panels and slabs to simulate beach 2020s
Anti noise technology in gardens 2020s
3D home printers 2020s
Nanotechnology plants 2020s

LIFE & LEISURE IN A CYBERSPACE WORLD

Avatar cosmetic surgery 2006-2010
Theatres gain extra revenue by allowing internet attendance 2006-2010
Conferencing technology for remote socialising in public places 2006-2010
1Bn internet users 2006-2010
Automatic video capture of personal events 2006-2010
24/7 audio recording 2006-2010
Remind me devices 2006-2010
Personal surveillance 2006-2010
Social log 2006-2010
Deep indexing creates greater bonds between people (iPod play lists etc create insight into another’s personality) 2006-2010
Electronically mediated tribes become major social structures 2006-2010
Virtual car races as spectator sports 2006-2010
Personal remote web servers 2006-2010
Chips in footballs, players, etc to enhance data collection 2006-2010
Viewers able to pick any angle or player view 2006-2010
Augmented reality at sports grounds to enhance spectator experience 2006-2010
Major social problem caused by email and texting in secret relationships 2006-2010
Mobile email reduces productivity due to lack of concentration on task-in-hand 2006-2010
Tourist information beacons 2008-2012
Cyberspace make-up 2008-2012
People have cyberspace wardrobe 2008-2012
Frequent use of multiple Net identities causes personality disorders 2008-2012
Cheap miniature cameras cause social backlash 2008-2012
Toy soldiers with video camera eyes enrich play 2008-2012
People reduce tax liability by being partially paid in information products 2008-2012
On line voting in UK 2008-2012
VR overlays on real world 2008-2012
Loneliness in aged population greatly reduced by network communities 2008-2012
National UK decisions influenced by electronic referenda 2008-2012
Worldwide population of over 65s increases by 1 million monthly 2008-2012
Cyber community with 100 million people 2008-2012
1st Extreme Olympics 2008-2012
Personal black boxes record everyday life 2008-2012
Mass customisation of toys 2008-2012
Ability to digitally replace or enhance people in your field of view 2008-2012
Digital x-ray glasses 2008-2012
Xanadu, leisure city in cyberspace 2008-2012
Kitchen rage caused by electronic gadgets 2011-2015
Electronic implant equivalent to Botox 2011-2015
Living area use of virtual reality scenes 2011-2015
Replacement of people leads to anti-technology subculture 2011-2015
Make-up by numbers 2011-2015
Orgasmatron 2011-2015
Most electronic toys hybrids with half on net 2011-2015
Active skin makeup 2013-2017
VR escapism is a major social problem 2013-2017
Dual geo/cyber-nationality recognised internationally 2013-2017
Most towns echoed in cyberspace 2013-2017
Films where viewers can choose who acts in each role 2016-2020
Emotion transmission and conversion (feel love or anger) 2020s
Digital image overlays enhance relationships 2020s
Global voting on some issues 2020s
Network based telepathy 2020s
Creation of The Matrix 2030s
VR extensively used in retirement homes 2030s
Restricted capability home genetic engineering kits 2030s
Experience recording 2030s
Real’ toy soldiers using nanotechnology 2030s
Running man’ style TV programs using androids 2030s

MACHINE INPUT/OUTPUT

e-ink screen advertising billboards 2006-2010
Personalised adverts on Radio 2006-2010
Head up displays for DVD watching 2006-2010
Smelly television using chips with small reservoirs of chemicals 2006-2010
Simple voice command interface for home appliances 2006-2010
3D ‘Minority Report’ style air display 2006-2010
Virtual mouse 2006-2010
3d fingertip tracking 2006-2010
Self destructing DVDs used for video hiring 2006-2010
i-Pod style jog-wheel dialling for phones 2006-2010
Holographic animated or video advertisements (few second video clips) 2008-2012
Displays with image quality comparable to paper 2008-2012
Separate volume controls for different people in room 2008-2012
3d air display 2008-2012
Projected augmented reality 2008-2012
Personalised TV & radio 2008-2012
Use of storage based nets 2008-2012
3d personal glasses displays 2008-2012
Full voice interaction with PC 2008-2012
Voice synthesis quality up to human standard 2008-2012
Data loss because of format changes becomes major business problem 2008-2012
Self organising displays 2011-2015
Active contact lens 2011-2015
Augmented reality standard in towns and cities 2011-2015
Dual architectures 2011-2015
Active skin touch sensitive display on forearm or for adornment 2011-2015
Holographic displays for continuous video 2013-2017
Hamster ball with VR for pets 2013-2017
Computer link to biological sensory organs 2013-2017
Holodecks using box room lined completely with polymer screens 2016-2020
Thought recognition as everyday input means 2016-2020
Holographic TV 2020s
Full direct brain link 2020s
Virtual display 2030s

M

ATERIALS & ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Spherical silicon integrated circuits 2006-2010
Polymers with lower resistance than copper at room temperature 2006-2010
Chips with 1 billion transistors 2006-2010
Use of polymer gels for muscles 2006-2010
Quantum effect interferometer for flux measurement 2006-2010
Use of carbon fullerenes for on chip interconnect 2006-2010
Chemical lab on a chip 2006-2010
Self diagnosis using gene chips for domestic use 2006-2010
Liquid drop lenses for camera phones etc 2006-2010
Piezoelectric motors for moving lenses in phones 2006-2010
Terahertz scanners 2006-2010
Portable terahertz scanners 2006-2010
Self organising adaptive integrated circuits 2008-2012
Use of polymer gels for bioreactors 2008-2012
Molecular sized switches 2008-2012
Intelligent materials with in-built sensors, storage and effectors 2008-2012
Smart skin for intelligent clothing and direct human repair 2008-2012
Self organisation used in most fields of electronics 2008-2012
Use of bacteria to assemble small circuits 2008-2012
Crossbar based logic circuits 2008-2012
Use of polymer gels for information processing 2011-2015
Chips with 10 billion transistors 2011-2015
Materials exhibiting superconductivity at room temperature 2013-2017
Manufacture of long diamond fibres 2013-2017
Smart bacteria 2016-2020
Smart yoghurt 2020s

PROCESSING, MEMORY AND STORAGE

Supercomputer as fast as human brain 2006-2010
Live CD-based OS distributed in newspaper 2006-2010
Optical neuro-computers 2008-2012
Simple quantum computer, 4 Qubits 2008-2012
Computers used for creativity enhancement 2008-2012
MP3 Net downloads dominate over CD distribution 2008-2012
Personal memory sticks replace hard drives for everyday files (HD used as archive) 2008-2012
Most video players based on memory sticks 2008-2012
Public storage provided by local government to support social use of IT 2008-2012
100GB memory sticks (typical 2005 HD capacity) 2008-2012
Ultra-simple computing – just in time OS 2008-2012
Chinux OS Chinese UNIX variant 2008-2012
OS distributed primarily on ROM 2008-2012
DNA storage device 2011-2015
Supercomputers with speed exceeding 1 ExaFLOPS 2011-2015
Use of analogue co-processors in PCs 2011-2015
DNA computer 2011-2015
Windows drops below 50% penetration worldwide 2011-2015
Use of bacteria for processing and storage 2011-2015
Desktop computer as fast as human brain 2013-2017
Bacterial supercomputer 2013-2017
Circuits made with bacteria by own DNA, smart yoghurt 2020s

ROBOTICS

Totally automated factories 2006-2010
Global domestic robot numbers passes 4M 2006-2010
Global industrial robot numbers passes 1M 2006-2010
Fractal shape-changing robots 2008-2012
Insect-like robots used in warfare 2008-2012
Robotic dolls and pets account for 10 % of domestic telecomm traffic 2008-2012
Self monitoring infrastructures using smart materials and sensors. 2008-2012
Micromechanical gnomes 2008-2012
Robots for cleaning, washing fetch and carry in hospital 2008-2012
Robot dance tutors 2011-2015
Nanowalkers, nanoworms, nanofish 2011-2015
Mechanical intelligence using MEMS and NEMS 2011-2015
Android robots used for factory jobs 2011-2015
Fleet of garden robots for plant and lawn care and tidying 2011-2015
Robots for cleaning, washing fetch and carry, in office 2011-2015
Robot pest killers 2011-2015
Housework robots – fetch, carry, clean & tidy, organise etc. 2013-2017
Robots for guiding blind people 2013-2017
Cybernetic use in sports 2013-2017
Robots for cleaning, washing, fetch and carry, in home 2013-2017
Self diagnostic self repairing robots 2016-2020
Actuators resembling human muscles 2016-2020
Insect sized robots banned in gardens due to effects on wildlife 2020s
Robotic delivery for internal mail 2020s
Robotic exercise companion 2020s
More robots than people in developed countries 2020s
Android gladiators 2020s
GM and robotics converge, GM used to make organic robots 2020s
Micro-Mechano fractal construction kit 2030s
i-Robot style robots with polymer muscles and strong AI 2040s

SECURITY, MILITARY, LAW

Edited

Mass internet rallies 2006-2010
Bacteria used in detection of explosives 2006-2010
Blogs in military use as dominant intelligence technique 2006-2010
Major terrorist attack on company or country via internet 2006-2010
Soldiers’ weapons fired remotely 2006-2010
Software companies sued for misuse of remotely controlled weapon 2006-2010
War fought over water supply 2006-2010
Logic checkers highlighting contradictory evidence 2006-2010
SMS spam problem undermines mobile content market 2006-2010
Biometric home access 2006-2010
Expenditure on security exceeds expected cost of attacks prevented 2006-2010
Autonomous weapons authorised to fire at own discretion 2008-2012
War where own side kills more of its own than the enemy 2008-2012
War for water 2008-2012
Context sensitive bombs (waits for senior politicians) 2008-2012
Weapons use biometric authentication of user 2008-2012
Bacteria used to break down explosives in mine fields 2008-2012
Terrorist are source of most on-line scams 2008-2012
Communication networks severely disrupted by hackers 2008-2012
Balloons used in terrorist attacks 2008-2012
Radio controlled vehicle attacks on shipping, smart mines 2008-2012
Cracking of public key cryptography within a few seconds using networked zombie machines 2008-2012
Data mining use in trials 2008-2012
Remote override capability on planes 2008-2012
Household access by facial recognition 2008-2012
Jargon translators 2008-2012
Computer advice to jurors on probability issues 2008-2012
Criminal tagging augmented with video and audio sensors 2008-2012
Extensive use of electronics to monitor police behaviour 2008-2012
Automated stenographers 2008-2012
Jigsaw viruses 2008-2012
Spam email volume forces charge based solutions 2008-2012
Phishing destroys confidence in on-line banking, most on-line banks closed 2008-2012
Terahertz video cameras become social nuisance due to privacy invasion 2008-2012
Expert system based home law advisors 2008-2012
Robot casualties reported routinely 2011-2015
Corporate cyberwars 2011-2015
Major utility brought down by hackers 2011-2015
Universal ID cards in UK 2011-2015
Most weapons attack systems rather than injure people 2011-2015
Civil liberties revolt 2011-2015
Anti-tech backlash 2011-2015
2nd internet with guaranteed security for email, with no spam 2011-2015
World War 2 thought of as a film rather than a real event by 30% of Americans 2013-2017
War with zero own side human casualties 2013-2017
Scalable AI as major military threat 2013-2017
Positive clean ID required for access to many places 2013-2017
Terrorist use of GM to pollute crops and damage economy 2013-2017
Most fighters and bombers flown remotely 2013-2017
Plastic stealth tank 2013-2017
Use of network resonance as security threat 2013-2017
Ambient intelligence detection of minor crimes & anti social behaviour 2013-2017
Identity theft forces all transactions to use biometrics 2013-2017
Domestic augmented reality used to give virtual makeovers 2013-2017
Biometric ID required for every phone call 2013-2017
Use of mutant insects for attack purposes 2013-2017
War caused by global warming forcing mass migration from coastal areas 2016-2020
War fought entirely between robot armies 2016-2020
ID cards replaced by biometric scanning 2016-2020
Emotion control chips used to control criminals 2016-2020
Open city prisons for criminals and antisocial people 2016-2020
First war without any casualties from friendly fire 2020s
Robots outnumber soldiers on battlefield 2020s
Smart bacteria used in warfare to alter behaviour of enemy 2020s
Smart bacteria as military threat to mankind 2020s
Attacks based on facilitating natural disasters 2020s
Smart bacteria weapons 2020s
Gated cities for civilised people 2020s
Use of solar wind deflectors to set fire to cities 2030s
Nanotech based virus communicable between machines and people, sent over net 2030s
Asteroid diversion used as weapon 2040s

SHOPPING & MONEY

Local warehousing for local distribution systems 2006-2010
Personal shopping tablets 2006-2010
Movies no longer sold in VHS format 2006-2010
Local e-bay augments car boot sales 2006-2010
Shops start being paid by manufacturers as try-on outlets 2008-2012
Paypal migrates onto high street 2008-2012
In-store positioning systems enable personalised guides 2008-2012
25% of UK shopping is network based 2008-2012
Immersive VR shopping booths 2008-2012
Most books sold on-line 2008-2012
Internal positioning systems in stores 2008-2012
In-store positioning systems with 1cm precision 2008-2012
Paper and coins largely replaced by electronic cash 2011-2015
Most tickets electronic 2011-2015
Personal taxation at point of sale 2011-2015
Automatic dialling from smart business cards 2011-2015
RFID replaces most barcodes 2011-2015
Most music sold online 2011-2015
Augmented reality overlays used in stores 2011-2015
Reverse auctions in personal shopping devices (nearby stores bid to provide items on shopping list) 2013-2017

SPACE

Private space mission to examine asteroid with a view to space mining 2011-2015
Prize claimed for 1st private orbital trip 2011-2015
Hotel in orbit 2013-2017
Scramjets used to launch low-orbit space-planes 2013-2017
Helium 3 mining on moon 2016-2020
Orbital space junk cleared up by sweeper craft 2016-2020
First manned mission to Mars 2020s
Production, storage and use of antimatter 2020s
Space factories for commercial production 2020s
Airships used to carry payloads most of the way to orbit 2020s
Regular manned missions to Mars 2030s
Use of human hibernation in space travel 2030s
Space elevator based on carbon nanotube cable 2030s
Start of construction of manned Mars laboratory 2040s
Moon base the size of small village 2040s
Asteroid mining 2040s
Mining of water on Mars 2040s
Self sustaining mars colony 2040s

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

90% of calls tetherless 2006-2010
Internet achieves 75% penetration in UK 2006-2010
Star trek style commbadge 2006-2010
Fixed mobile convergence 2006-2010
Wireless LANs become preferred access mechanism for mobile internet use 2006-2010
Wireless LANs in most shopping Malls 2006-2010
Vibration used as part of calls on cellphones to convey emotion 2006-2010
21CN completed 2006-2010
Last ever PSTN call 2006-2010
100Mbit/s wireless speed in office/home 2006-2010
Mobile phones pass standalone music players in market share 2006-2010
Push-to-talk style video clips 2006-2010
Caller can send own ring tone 2006-2010
Calls can be addressed by email address 2006-2010
Storage based networks 2008-2012
Use of microwave photonics in local access 2008-2012
Video download over network at 10 x normal speed 2008-2012
60% of internet accesses from mobile devices 2008-2012
Use of WDM in local access 2008-2012
Simultaneous data delivery in the City 2008-2012
Software radio available in portables 2008-2012
Openzone access covers whole city 2008-2012
Single address for emails, phone calls etc 2008-2012
HDTV over broadband 2008-2012
Most BBC Content available on-line 2008-2012
Video sleepover terminals 2008-2012
Large screen video links reduce loneliness for old people 2008-2012
Domestic demand reaches 50Mbit/s per home 2011-2015
Gigabit wireless in home 2011-2015
All voice calls free 2011-2015

TRANSPORT & TRAVEL

Blimp cargo lifters, carrying 160 tonnes, 6000 miles at 60mph 2006-2010
Assisted lane keeping systems in trucks and buses 2006-2010
Most new cars fitted with positioning systems as standard 2006-2010
Pollution monitor chips built into cars 2006-2010
Smart tickets for navigation through airports 2008-2012
Cars with automatic steering 2008-2012
Scramjet’ engine powered planes flying at Mach 10 2008-2012
Urban car co-pilot 2008-2012
All new cars fitted with basic cellular communication with automated distress system 2008-2012
Tourism in some areas limited to net access 2008-2012
High Speed Civil Transport supersonic jet, 300 passengers, 1500mph 2011-2015
GPS and engine management systems linked to limit speed automatically 2011-2015
Road trains using ad-hoc networking 2011-2015
Bus routes based on star and ring architectures 2011-2015
Need to book time slots to use some key roads 2011-2015
Cars with dual wheels that can run on road or rail 2011-2015
Urban tracks for electronically driven cars 2011-2015
Black boxes in all new cars 2011-2015
Dynamic road tolling 2011-2015
Automatic driving makes car pooling feasible 2013-2017
Driverless truck convoys using electronic tow-bar 2013-2017
Fully auto-piloted cars 2016-2020

WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY

Flexible screens 2006-2010
Video tattoos (thin polymer membrane displays) 2006-2010
Wrist based video displays 2006-2010
Teletubby T-shirts 2006-2010
TV jewellery 2006-2010
Light emitting fabrics used in clothes 2006-2010
Smell emitting clothing, uses context 2006-2010
Personal wireless website broadcast 2006-2010
Blogs go wearable 2006-2010
Virtual retinal displays 2008-2012
TV quality video screens built into clothes 2008-2012
Emotion badges 2008-2012
Jewellery that changes shape, colour and texture 2008-2012
Portable translation device for simple conversation 2008-2012
Kaleidoscopic clothes using materials with embedded pigment micro-capsules 2008-2012
Micro-actuators built into clothes for sensory feedback 2008-2012
Video makeup (virtual world) 2008-2012
Shape changing fabrics 2008-2012
Shape memory fabrics 2008-2012
Digital bubble 2008-2012
Cyber clothes 2008-2012
Terahertz jammers in clothes as personal modesty shield 2008-2012
Dual appearance 2008-2012
Laws restrict what can be shown on video clothing 2008-2012
Terahertz jammer banned at airports 2008-2012
Active contact lens 2011-2015
Alpha-wave induction sets 2011-2015
Thought recognition used in sleep enhancement 2011-2015
Computer enhanced dreaming 2011-2015
Projector ring 2011-2015
Mugging by brain state induction devices 2013-2017
Obesity increase due to compelling virtual reality environments 2013-2017
Computer controlled hunger suppressants 2013-2017
Emotion control devices 2016-2020
Dream link technology 2016-2020
Smart makeup, context sensitive 2016-2020

ADDENDUM: WILD CARDS (THAT COULD HAPPEN ALMOST ANYTIME)

Based on an original idea by John Petersen, The Arlington Institute) Earliest
megavolcano erupts 2005
Cumbre Vieha collapses, megatsunami wipes out dozens of cities 2005
Asteroid or comet hits earth 2005
Massive solar flare wipes out life on earth 2005
Natural evolution of superbug 2005
Extraordinary US West Coast Natural Disaster 2005
First Unambiguous Contact with Extraterrestrial Life — The Arrival of ETs 2005
Ice caps melt, Oceans rise one hundred feet 2005
Mass Migrations 2005
Another Chernobyl 2005
Collapse of the United Nations 2005
Global nuclear war 2005
Environmental pressure causes evolution of superbug 2005
Aids or similarly deadly disease mutates and becomes transmittable by air 2005
Bugs resistant to all known antibiotics 2005
Rules Change: Economic and/or Environmental "War Criminals" Are Prosecuted 2005
Terrorists Go Biological 2005
US Economy Fails or collapse of the dollar 2005
Civil nuclear war 2005
Global economic collapse causes mass starvation and conflict 2005
Global civil war 2005
Space exploration creates superbug 2005
Civil war between Soviet States Goes Nuclear 2005
Collapse of World’s Fisheries 2005
Computer/Chip/Operating System Maker Blackmails Country or World 2005
End of Intergenerational Solidarity 2005
Gulf or Jet Stream Shifts Location Permanently 2005
International Financial Collapse 2005
Large-scale lengthy disruption of national electrical supply 2005
Major Break in Alaskan pipeline – Significant ecological damage 2005
Major Chaos in Africa 2005
Nuclear Terrorist Attack on United States or Europe 2005
Rise of an American Dictator 2005
Social breakdown in US or Europe 2005
Stock market crash 2005
Human Cloning Perfected, Human Genetic Engineering Arrives 2005
Accidental creation of lethal organism during research 2005
Anti-tech backlash destroys systems – chaos and starvation 2005
Deliberate biotech self-destruct by malicious biotech researcher 2005
Major genetic engineering accident 2005
Terrorism rises beyond capability of government systems 2005
Transgenic accident 2005
Encryption Invalidated 2005
Hackers Blackmail Federal Reserve 2005
China launches cyberwar against Taiwan 2005
Virus outbreak kills 100 million people worldwide 2005
Internet collapse due to security concerns undermining trust 2005
Strike on urban area by 500m asteroid (below current detection threshold) 2005
Biotech terrorist attack goes wrong 2010
Evolved crime destroys human systems 2010
Global civil war between cybernations 2010
Hackers wipe out networks, causing chaos and mass starvation 2010
The hostile arrival of ETs detecting our transmissions 2010
Viruses become immune to all known treatments 2010
End of the Nation State 2010
Foetal Sex Selection Becomes the Norm 2010
Gulf Stream ceases 2015
Computers and robots become superior to humans 2015
Self-aware machine intelligence 2015
Third world exodus destabilises global system 2015
Computers/Robots think like humans 2015
Collapse of the sperm count 2020
Global epidemic with high speed travel and high population density 2020
Global famine caused by manmade environmental change 2020
Hybrid nanotech-organic creatures 2020
International social collapse – widespread civil conflict 2020
Major information systems disruption 2020
Major technology or science research accident 2020
Rise of a global machine dictator 2020
Total social breakdown in US or Europe 2020
Fuel cells replace internal combustion engines 2020
Life Expectancy Approaches 100 2020
Megacities cause global epidemic 2025
Nanotech development by individuals 2025
Nanotechnology accident 2025
Networks become conscious and won’t co-operate 2025
Second World Nation Demonstrates Development of Nanotech Weapons 2025
Elimination by smart machines – terminator 2030
Nanotechnology war 2030
Humans access net directly, become an integral part of global information system. 2030
No-Carbon Economy Worldwide 2030
Religious environmentalism destroys environment 2030
use of asteroid as weapon of mass destruction 2030
Methane hydrate nodules evaporate causing runaway global warming 2040
Creation of Star Trek’s Borg 2040
Global electromagnetic communications disrupted for foreseeable future 2040
Political correctness creates new dark age 2050
Whole generation unable to effectively read, write, think, and work 2050
Human genetic engineering creates hostile super-race 2070
Humans assimilated into net 2075
Invention of elimination phaser 2075
Time travel invented 2075
Immortality chip – people move into cyberspace 2075
Faster than light travel 2100